Louisiana
Sun Belt · 7–3 · 4–2 in conference · MRI Classic #42
Who to root for this week
Nothing this weekend moves the needle.
How this rating is built
Power = w × (average margin counted + average opponent rating) + (1 − w) × preseason prior, where w = games ÷ (games + 4). After 10 games, w is 71%, so the preseason prior is 29% of this rating. Every game played shrinks that share.
| Part | Value | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margin counted | +11.0 avg | × 71% | +7.9 |
| Opponents faced | -12.7 avg | × 71% | -9.1 |
| Preseason prior | -4.9 | × 29% | -1.4 |
| Power | -2.6 | ||
This explains how the model reached the number. The opponent ratings come out of the same fitted model, so it is not independent proof that the rating is right.
Results
Expected is the margin the model's ratings imply for that matchup and site. Perf is how far the actual margin beat it — the result against expectation. Adds is a different question: how many points of Power the game contributes, counting its margin and the strength of the opponent together. A game can beat expectation and still add little, or the reverse. Adds, plus the preseason prior, sum to Power (figures are rounded so the column adds up). Hover an Adds figure for its arithmetic.
| Wk | Opponent | Result | Expected | Perf | Adds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vs | Lamar FCS | W 38–7 | +34.1 | -3.1 | -0.5 |
| 2 | at | USC | L 30–49 | -23.1 | +4.1 | -0.3 |
| 3 | vs | UAB | W 21–14 | +11.0 | -4.0 | -0.3 |
| 4 | at | Charlotte | W 34–7 | +17.5 | +9.5 | +0.8 |
| 5 | vs | Arkansas State | W 23–20 | +11.4 | -8.4 | -0.7 |
| 6 | at | Louisiana Tech | L 31–32 | -6.0 | +5.0 | +0.1 |
| 7 | vs | Troy | W 33–6 | +12.7 | +14.3 | +1.2 |
| 8 | at | Southern Miss | L 31–35 | +9.9 | -13.9 | -1.3 |
| 10 | vs | South Alabama | W 28–26 | +9.1 | -7.1 | -0.6 |
| 11 | at | Louisiana-Monroe | W 42–21 | +18.2 | +2.8 | +0.4 |
| Preseason prior (29% of the rating) | -1.4 | |||||
| Power | -2.6 | |||||
Remaining schedule
| Wk | Opponent | Projected | Win prob | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | vs | Coastal Carolina | +14.0 | 80% |
| 13 | at | Georgia State | +3.4 | 58% |
Coaches
Mean added leaves out 1978–1980, the first seasons rated, which have no preseason prior to measure against.
| Coach | Years | Record | Mean added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Augie Tammariello | 1978–1979 | 7-15 | – |
| Sam Robertson | 1980–1985 | 29-34-2 | -4.7 |
| Nelson Stokley | 1986–1998 | 62-80-1 | -4.4 |
| Jerry Baldwin | 1999–2001 | 6-27 | -7.6 |
| Rickey Bustle | 2002–2010 | 41-65 | -4.8 |
| Mark Hudspeth | 2011–2017 | 51-38 | -2.7 |
| Billy Napier | 2018–2021 | 40-12 | +5.9 |
| Michael Desormeaux | 2022–2026 | 35-28 | -1.3 |
Season by season
Best finish: #23 in 2019. 48 seasons rated. The two columns' numbers are not comparable; the rank within each is. Season links open that year's game log.
Finishing rank, best at the top, on an axis running to 150 — this team's own range, not the size of the field. Two lines where both ratings cover a season - MRI 2.0 in red, Classic in grey. Hover a point for the season.
| Season | Rec | MRI 2.0 | MRI Classic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6–7 | #105 of 136 · -11.82 | – |
| 2024 | 10–4 | #72 of 134 · -2.16 | – |
| 2023 | 6–7 | #86 of 133 · -4.92 | – |
| 2022 | 6–7 | #75 of 131 · -2.42 | – |
| 2021 | 13–1 | #47 of 130 · 6.14 | – |
| 2020 | 10–1 | #31 of 128 · 8.56 | – |
| 2019 | 11–3 | #42 of 130 · 6.60 | #23 of 130 · 65.51 |
| 2018 | 7–7 | #99 of 130 · -9.56 | #87 of 130 · 9.62 |
| 2017 | 5–7 | #121 of 130 · -19.32 | #117 of 130 · -35.89 |
| 2016 | 6–7 | #102 of 128 · -12.22 | #75 of 128 · 12.01 |
| 2015 | 4–8 | #104 of 128 · -15.05 | #104 of 128 · -18.35 |
| 2014 | 9–4 | #78 of 128 · -3.97 | #62 of 128 · 25.56 |
| 2013 | 9–4 | #70 of 125 · -2.68 | #64 of 126 · 24.24 |
| 2012 | 9–4 | #63 of 124 · -0.54 | #54 of 124 · 33.54 |
| 2011 | 9–4 | #89 of 120 · -8.63 | #57 of 120 · 27.23 |
| 2010 | 3–9 | #113 of 120 · -20.70 | #113 of 120 · -39.28 |
| 2009 | 6–6 | #104 of 120 · -14.17 | #88 of 120 · -0.05 |
| 2008 | 6–6 | #95 of 120 · -10.61 | #78 of 120 · 10.87 |
| 2007 | 3–9 | #115 of 119 · -19.04 | #107 of 120 · -22.28 |
| 2006 | 6–6 | #105 of 119 · -13.26 | #85 of 119 · 0.96 |
| 2005 | 6–5 | #98 of 119 · -13.65 | #80 of 119 · 15.13 |
| 2004 | 4–7 | #103 of 117 · -16.48 | #83 of 117 · 1.00 |
| 2003 | 4–8 | #109 of 117 · -19.01 | #98 of 117 · -17.81 |
| 2002 | 3–9 | #110 of 117 · -20.04 | – |
| 2001 | 3–8 | #113 of 117 · -24.78 | – |
| 2000 | 1–10 | #114 of 116 · -29.71 | – |
| 1999 | 2–9 | #112 of 114 · -25.45 | – |
| 1998 | 2–9 | #111 of 112 · -26.72 | – |
| 1997 | 1–10 | #109 of 112 · -28.39 | – |
| 1996 | 5–6 | #80 of 111 · -8.82 | – |
| 1995 | 6–5 | #76 of 108 · -7.40 | – |
| 1994 | 6–5 | #88 of 107 · -12.51 | – |
| 1993 | 8–3 | #85 of 106 · -9.60 | – |
| 1992 | 2–9 | #102 of 107 · -20.98 | – |
| 1991 | 2–9 | #89 of 107 · -13.21 | – |
| 1990 | 5–6 | #74 of 107 · -5.99 | – |
| 1989 | 7–4 | #67 of 106 · -5.39 | – |
| 1988 | 6–5 | #62 of 104 · -4.04 | – |
| 1987 | 6–5 | #78 of 104 · -9.53 | – |
| 1986 | 6–5 | #79 of 105 · -9.01 | – |
| 1985 | 4–7 | #95 of 106 · -15.69 | – |
| 1984 | 6–5 | #76 of 106 · -6.32 | – |
| 1983 | 4–6 | #87 of 105 · -10.28 | – |
| 1982 | 7–4 | #81 of 105 · -8.98 | – |
| 1981 | 1–10 | #115 of 136 · -9.88 | – |
| 1980 | 7–4 | #88 of 138 · -4.10 | – |
| 1979 | 4–7 | #109 of 138 · -8.00 | – |
| 1978 | 3–8 | #117 of 138 · -11.58 | – |